Imagine a boutique group exercise studio in which every class takes place on a Power Plate platform. You’ve imagined Vibe Tribe in Beaconsfield.

“Power Plate has been the one constant in my exercise routine since I discovered it 14 years ago,” says Vibe Tribe founder and owner Anna Nasr. “As an end user, I’ve done lots of research into its benefits and the various ways it can be used and have personally achieved great results. I’m now passionate about helping others access Power Plate in new ways.”

Presented with a blank canvas within a private residence, Nasr proceeded to create the training space she’d always dreamed of.

Launched at the end of 2023, Vibe Tribe’s multi-sensory, small group training studio features four Power Plate Pro5s, one limited edition Power Plate Move, three Power Plate REV bikes and the full range of Power Plate’s targeted vibration devices: Pulse guns, rollers and the DualSphere.

A library service allows clients to use the targeted vibration devices at home, too, with a view to potentially purchasing for themselves.

Music and lighting in the studio reflect the energy of each class and create a nightclub feel, while Myzone technology acts as an accountability tool and helps clients stay on track.

On the first floor, a clinic offers chiropractic services, manual lymphatic drainage and sports massage to complement the blood flow and lymphatic benefits of Power Plate training. Nasr also runs educational sessions on a range of wellness-related topics, from breathwork to grounding, recovery to hydration.

A showcase for every use case
“Our name perfectly encapsulates our ethos,” says Nasr. “Tribe is about exercising in the safety of a like-minded community, in small group sessions of maximum four people and with expert instructors who really want to get the best for you.

“Vibe is about whole body vibration training: the basis of, and reason for, our entire concept. Every class takes place on the platform – or in the case of cycling, on the REV – with programmes designed by our expert trainers to showcase Power Plate in every area it can and should be used.”

Classes currently span three types of yoga and two types of pilates, barre, step aerobics, strength, flexibility, recovery and massage, boxing, cycling, and rehab with the chiropractor. Dance is also on the radar. “When it comes to a feelgood factor, there’s nothing like putting on some great tunes and dancing on the Power Plate like nobody’s watching!” says Nasr.

Most classes see participants on the Power Plate at all times, with boxing the only discipline that currently includes some floor work; Nasr is considering installing punchbags in front of each Power Plate.

Where necessary – for pilates and yoga, for example – special raised benches nestle up to, and at the same height as, the Power Plate platforms, creating flat body-length surfaces with vibration at one end. Vibe Tribe’s Pro5s also have specially designed handles to ensure the entire barre programme can take place on the platform.

“We have something for everyone every day: high energy, strength and tone, flexibility and recovery,” says Nasr. “Clients can cherry-pick classes based on how they feel and to complement other activities they might have done.”

Physical and mental benefits
But why make whole body vibration such an integral part of the offering? What’s the benefit of doing every class on a Power Plate?

“Our high-end clients are time-poor,” explains Nasr. “They don’t want to spend 60 minutes working out if 30 minutes will suffice, and by integrating Power Plate, 30 minutes does suffice. It’s a safe, effective, efficient way to maximise the impact of the workout and get results.

“We recommend people do three 30-minute classes a week, and where clients achieve this – most attend two to four times a week – results come quickly. One client came with a number of important goals, one key goal being to lose a significant amount of weight. In eight weeks, she lost 7kg and dropped two dress sizes.”

Nasr continues: “We’ve also introduced a five-minute REHIT protocol on the Power Plate REV, which can be done before or after a class. REHIT is Reduced Exertion High-intensity Interval Training, and it’s biohacking at its finest.

“At its heart are two sets of 20 seconds going all-out on the REV, with the vibrations coming through the pedals, interspersed with a calf massage on the Power Plate. In our pilot, everyone achieved higher RPMs and greater resistance in the second 20 seconds, and the science tells us that doing this five-minute protocol three times a week is the equivalent of a 45-minute run.”

Most clients initially come to Vibe Tribe with aesthetic goals and make a bee line for the calorie-burn classes, but Nasr makes a point of encouraging people to incorporate strength, recovery and wellness into their routines. She also asks them to notice how they feel, not just how they look.

“I created Vibe Tribe to help people feel good about themselves,” she says, “and Power Plate is the perfect tool. It energises you, enhances body confidence and gives you the feelgood factor of seeing results quickly. It’s so rewarding to watch people walk out of the studio taller and with a smile on their faces.”

Local community, global aspirations
So, what next for Vibe Tribe?

“I have big aspirations for the studio and its community, but my vision goes beyond our four walls,” says Nasr. “I want to spread the Power Plate word, empowering people around the world to walk into a gym and know how and why to use this amazing piece of equipment.

“We’ve already done recovery and Power Plate REV pop-ups at a local gym, Sweaty Betty store and Revital health food shop and we’re planning to replicate this at the golf club. We’re also exploring further sport-specific pop-up options.

“We’ve taken targeted vibration devices and Personal Power Plates on a ski trip, too, bringing the benefits to the slopes and après bars.

“But there’s so much more knowledge-sharing to be done. I want to bring together a global network of people who love Power Plate, harnessing this to share best practice at a far broader level.

“I also aspire to become a Power Plate master trainer myself. I truly feel I have found my ikigai – a Japanese word that perfectly sums up finding your purpose in life. I want to continue to share my passion and knowledge with the Vibe Tribe community and beyond, making the world a happier place through Power Plate’s positive, harmonic vibes.”

“We combine Power Plate and red light therapy in all our small group classes,” says Natt Summers, founder and owner of Accomplish Fitness in Hungerford, Berkshire.

“Power Plate is an incredible tool for people of all levels. Our clients are male and female, aged between 11 to 84 years and range from Ironman champions to beginners, but I can adjust the vibration to challenge everyone just the right amount, all within the same class.

“Meanwhile, red light therapy strengthens our mitochondria – our energy cells – and the stronger these cells are, the longer we live.

“You’ll often hear about red light in the context of enhancing collagen and making skin look better, and it does do that. In fact, you get all the benefits of sunshine without the UV, so it also boosts mood.

“However, getting close to the red light also speeds muscle recovery and tissue repair, reduces inflammation and pain – it can help with arthritis, for example – and supports the function of internal organs.

“We’re achieving remarkable results by using Power Plate and red light therapy together, accelerating recovery and fitness gains and benefiting people’s bodies and minds in so many different ways.”

From 60 minutes to 30, with Power Plate

Let’s backtrack to understand how Summers came to this style of training.

It was 20 years ago that she became a PT, inspired by a perceived lack of trainers “who actually liked people”.

She had, she explains, looked for help post-partum – a pregnancy during which gestational diabetes had led to significant weight gain – but found nothing but “judgement and fattism”. And so she took matters into her own hands, training as a PT during her maternity leave and handing in her notice at her old job.

Fast-forward a few years and Summers opened her own studio – “a safe place for women and men, all about the customer and their journey”. Accomplish Fitness was born.

When four of her clients got Power Plates at home, Summers realised she needed to put herself through the instructor training course. She also purchased a Power Plate for her own studio and soon had a waitlist of 30+ people.

“I started out doing the traditional 60-minute, one-to-one PT sessions, but a moment came when I needed to split a session between two clients, creating two 30-minute sessions.

“Their results went through the roof, so I restructured my approach for all clients. All of a sudden, I was doing 16 sessions a day rather than eight, I could tackle my waitlist, and my clients were getting great results.”

Summers soon invested in additional Power Plates for her studio and added small group training (SGT) to the timetable, with clients alternating between plate and mat. And this was the status quo for a number of years, until lockdown.

Enhancing results with red light therapy

She explains: “My mum had been diagnosed with cancer and I was researching ways to reduce inflammation in the body. I also had a number of clients with long COVID, so I was trying to help them too.

“I came across red light therapy and purchased three panels that deliver near-infrared- and red light. I began to use them in conjunction with Power Plate for anyone suffering from chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, menopause symptoms, gut issues and inflammation – and the results were unbelievable.

“People’s blood tests were showing marked improvements, menopausal hot sweats disappeared, body composition changed, muscle strength and endurance improved, sleep quality was enhanced, stress was reduced.

“I found I was able to manage my own Bell’s palsy and sciatica, while one older client was seeing a consultant about a shoulder issue and was asked for her training programme because her bone density was so good.”

Power Plate and red light are inextricably linked in achieving such results, says Summers, to the point that Accomplish Fitness now combines Power Plate with red light therapy in every small group training session. Even customers with long COVID are slowly seeing their HRV – heart rate variability – climbing.

“More than anything, though, people’s energy levels have been transformed,” confirms Summers. “We call our approach ‘biostacking’ and I can confidently say we’ve changed 90 per cent of our clients’ lives.”

‘Biostacking’ in every class

Fast-forward to 2024 and Accomplish Fitness now has eight Power Plates – including three personal Power Plates that Summers rents out to clients – as well as a Power Plate REV bike and a selection of targeted vibration devices.

It means classes now cater for a maximum of 10 people, alongside continued availability of one-to-one training and AF All-In six-week accountability programmes.

The classes “keep things simple, combining functional Power Plate training with red light therapy, as that’s what works,” says Summers.

There’s Train with Natt for an athletic workout, AF Fit 30 for functional training with Hex bells, Supple Strength for a strong yoga class, Boxing, Barbells and Kettlebells – all on the Power Plate.

Members are encouraged to expose as much skin to the red light as possible, and start every session just 1.5 inches from the panels. For three minutes, they put their hands, faces, even heads next to the light – wherever they want to focus its healing benefits. For the next 24 minutes, they work out on the Power Plate – still no more than 50cm from the red light for a mood boost – with a final three minutes right next to the panels again.

Meanwhile, cycling on the Power Plate REV for four to eight minutes is “a biohack that gives people all the cardio they need in a maximum of eight minutes”. And there’s evidence to prove it.

Every Accomplish Fitness member uses WHOOP to track their HRV and Strain Scores, and the REV training “sends HRV through the roof”, says Summers.

She is now experimenting with a new format consisting of eight minutes’ Power Plate, eight minutes’ REV and eight minutes close to the red light panels.

The proof is in the WHOOP

Summers also uses HRV and WHOOP Strain Scores to establish how recovered and ready members are to exercise.

She explains: “If you’re in the red zone on WHOOP and you keep exercising, you’ll never give yourself a chance to recover. And you can be in the red even if you’re really fit – for example, if your stress levels are high.

“So, I keep an eye on clients and sometimes tell people to have a Power Plate massage in the red light rather than working out. I also added red light to my All-In programme, making 20 minutes’ stretching and/or meditating under the red lights – three times a week – non-negotiable. Recovery has dramatically improved across the board.”

She adds: “Using WHOOP data, I can also prescribe the optimum effort level for everyone in every class – 40, 70, 80, 100 per cent – so they get the most out of the workout and can still come back the next day. Most people come to Accomplish Fitness three to five times a week, with Power Plate and red light further helping by reducing inflammation and cortisol to speed up recovery.”

But the ultimate evidence of the impact of Power Plate with red light therapy?

“In addition to the 10 people in the studio, we also live stream our small group training, interacting with a maximum of 10 people online. Those who don’t have a Power Plate at home take around twice as long to get the same results, and even those who do have a Power Plate take a bit longer because they don’t have red light.

“As I say, Power Plate and red light are inextricably linked in what we do, and the results are so good I genuinely don’t understand why everyone isn’t doing it!”

Speaking of which, Summers is now gearing up to launch her concept as a franchise at the end of 2024.

“There are so many PTs out there who want a plug-and-play solution,” she says. “I’m excited to make our approach more widely available, bringing the benefits of functional Power Plate training and red light therapy to many more people.”

Located in Dalston, in the London borough of Hackney, Leap Fit Studio is the brainchild of husband and wife team JJ and Amy Jegede – JJ a former Great Britain international and three-time British long jump champion, Amy a specialist in pre- and post-natal exercise.

Positioning itself as The Home of Progress, Leap Fit is a commercial studio that brings elite-level training to the masses. There’s a strong focus on results via tailored workouts, nutritional advice and personalised support.

Says JJ: “We’re predominantly a personal training studio specialising in 12-week transformations, but we also run daily 45-minute classes. These span a range of categories, from building muscle tone to shredding fat, reducing pain to improving cardiovascular health.

“Ours is a supportive environment, but at the same time we’re pushing to get the best from you and for you. We focus on transformation and continual progress, using functional training techniques to help you build muscle, lose weight and get your body primed for everyday life.”

Discovering the REV

A regular user of Power Plate® as an elite athlete – the platforms used for warm-ups, mobilisation, muscle activation and recovery – Jegede decided to learn more about the technology when he retired from his sport.

As a result, Power Plate now features prominently in his club, its whole body vibration platforms used for warm-ups, with clients who struggle with flexibility, and to increase the exercise challenge for more advanced clients.

Invited to take part in filming for the Power Plate REV™, Jegede was immediately won over by the new bike’s patented VibeShift™ Technology, which maximises workout intensity by delivering consistent, safe, precise vibration through the pedals.

“The moment I got on the REV, I knew it was going to be a game changer,” he says. “I never planned to have a cycle area at my gym, but this machine made me re-evaluate. I didn’t just want a couple of them on the gym floor. I wanted a whole studio.”

And so, in September 2023, Leap Fit Studios did exactly that, purchasing 13 of the new bikes and launching the world’s first REV studio in collaboration with Power Plate.

“Our vibration-enhanced Revolution classes now deliver group cycling with added revs, literally,” says Jegede. “Our members don’t just get a cardio workout but a strength one too. It’s one of our most effective classes, delivering 45 minutes of intense work that you can really feel.”

Increased muscle activation

That’s because, when compared to a traditional fitness bike, the REV increases calf activation by 43 per cent, hamstring activation by 144 per cent, quad activation by 167 per cent and glute activation by 138 per cent. Research by the Centre for Sports Science & Human Performance at the University of Greenwich, UK, also found that level 1 resistance with vibration on the REV is equivalent to level 5 resistance without vibration.

“The Power Plate REV is a wonderfully flexible product,” says Steve Wright, VP of Power Plate UK & EMEA. “It’s sold primarily as a performance bike for the gym floor, but the ability to switch in and out of vibration mode also makes it a great choice for a group cycle class with a difference.

“It’s the perfect fit for a studio such as JJ’s, where elite level expertise underpins the commercial delivery of performance training. It’s really exciting to be involved in a project where these two worlds overlap.

“We’re absolutely delighted to partner with Leap Fit Studio in the creation of this world-first group cycle concept.”

Results you can feel

Says Jegede: “I’m thrilled to bring this brand new concept to our members: a proven way to maximise muscle tone and performance gains from indoor cycling, all wrapped up in an engaging class format.

“Our members are loving it, to the point that one member had a birthday ride to celebrate her 30th and now she and her group of friends have a regular slot. It’s so different from other cycle classes that it’s becoming an event, not just a training session.

“We’ve found it a great foundation for those who initially struggle with our gym-based work, too. Cycling is a movement most people can do – you don’t have to modify it – and with REV working the muscles as well as the cardiovascular system, it’s a great way to build strength and flexibility before progressing to other workouts.”

He concludes: “The best way I can explain it: you get so much more workout for your money with the Power Plate REV. You’re doing a cycle class, but it’s amplified by the vibration. The sensation is like nothing you’ve tried before and you can feel the results.

“We’re incredibly proud to be the first studio in the world that’s doing this.”

Since opening in April 2019, Feelgood Fitness & Wellness Centre in Basildon has set out to do things differently.

Focused heavily on medical rehab, active ageing and personalised support – and collaborating with Active Essex – the club’s inclusive, judgement-free approach attracts members across a wide range of ages and abilities. Its goal: to unlock the power of exercise to improve health, wellbeing and confidence.

This ethos is deeply embedded, coming directly from owner Aaron Tyler. Fitness has always been a part of Tyler’s life, but with a herniated disc, sacroiliitis, chronic pain and inflammation, as well as damage to his cerebellum and cognitive behaviour, an alternative, rehabilitative approach was required.

Tyler’s research into pain relief and rehabilitation led him to Power Plate, which enabled him to work out and recover without additional pain or injuries. In fact, after using Power Plate, Tyler found he felt significantly better, with improved co-ordination, balance, mobility and flexibility, as well as an ability to manage chronic pain without medication.

Little surprise, then, that Feelgood Fitness & Wellness Centre now integrates Power Plate into everything from activation and recovery to group exercise classes, rehab, PT sessions and personalised programmes. It embraces the full range of Power Plate products, from whole body vibration platforms to targeted vibration devices and the Power Plate REV™ bike.

A health-optimising mission

Of course, many people think of Power Plate® as a fitness tool, and it certainly delivers great fitness benefits, improving strength, cardiovascular performance, flexibility and recovery, as well as supporting disciplines such as yoga and massage. But this is only part of the story.

“We’re on a mission to optimise people’s health, taking pressure off the NHS by empowering gym and health club operators to deliver healthcare within their own environments,” says Steve Wright, VP of Power Plate UK & EMEA.

“As our sector moves to embrace this agenda, we’re responding not only with health-optimising products, but also the data operators need to evidence their case. From Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s to stroke rehab, cerebral palsy, menopause and more, we have the scientific evidence – and the case studies – to demonstrate Power Plate’s positive impact.”

Changing people’s lives

We need look no further than Feelgood Fitness & Wellness Centre for a powerful case study.

At this remarkable club, Power Plate is used across the board to make movement possible for those not previously capable of physical activity.

One member had been run over by a fork lift truck and couldn’t feel his legs. After doing Power Plate sessions, he now has feeling in his legs and can walk. His verdict: Power Plate has changed his life.

Another member had a stroke after receiving anaesthetic, which left her with a locked hand. Using Power Plate Pulse, the team at Feelgood Fitness & Wellness Centre managed to reopen her hand. This not only helped her medically but, as she can now hold equipment, also enabled her to return to training. She’s back working towards her fitness goals.

A member with hemiplegic cerebral palsy was encouraged to join the club after Tyler spotted him in a supermarket and offered help. Through regular sessions on the Power Plate, he has now built sufficient muscle and strength in his legs to be able to move more easily.

Tyler and his team approached Power Plate for research into the benefits of whole body vibration (WBV) training for individuals with Parkinson’s; a member with this condition now trains with Power Plate and lives a better life with less pain.

A member with severe plantar fasciitis can now put her foot to the ground and walk.

And a stroke recovery programme and community sees a group of stroke survivors come to the club each week for a group discussion and Power Plate workout to improve their physical and mental wellbeing.

Feelgood Fitness & Wellness Centre also combines Power Plate with Blaze Pods to support members with cerebral palsy, brain injuries and following strokes.

Almost everywhere you look in the club, there’s someone whose life has been transformed thanks to Tyler and Power Plate, to the point that examples other clubs might showcase are simply normal at Feelgood Fitness & Wellness Centre. “We have so many members who can now walk without sticks,” says Tyler, “while others – myself included – use Power Plate Move classes to relieve our sciatica.”

Sharing the science

Crucially, Feelgood Fitness & Wellness Centre places a strong focus on discussing the science with its members. Tyler explains: “A number of members had seen Power Plates in other gyms and just thought it was something that made you wobble! They didn’t understand what it was all about.

“We always explain the science, which means people use Power Plate properly and really feel the benefits.”

It’s an approach that has made Power Plate so popular at the club that there’s often a queue to use the products, says Tyler.

Power Plate’s Wright concludes: “As our sector looks to open doors with the UK’s healthcare system, it’s vitally important that it has the products and the independently-verified evidence to make a compelling case.

“We’re committed to providing this. Power Plate is the one single brand that delivers on the health, fitness and wellness needs of an unparalleled range of populations.

“We’re here to help clubs embrace a more health-centric agenda to truly change people’s lives, and Feelgood Fitness & Wellness Centre is the inspiring example that shows what’s possible. We’re hugely proud to partner with Aaron and his team.”

Performance Health Systems (“PHS”), owner, manufacturer and distributor of Power Plate® branded health and wellness exercise products, the global leader in advanced technology vibration equipment, and bioDensity® an osteogenic loading system, has announced the consolidation of its EMEA, UK and Ireland operations.  

Heading up the new team, Steve Wright, PHS’s current Vice President in EMEA, will work to revive growth and support existing customers, dealers and distributors as the region continues to recover from the pandemic and economic impact of the conflict in Ukraine.

Lee Hillman, CEO of PHS says “Steve has led the effort to strengthen our European distribution infrastructure in recent years. Now, he will be taking on the greater challenge to uplevel the full EMEA and UK markets’ knowledge and understanding of the unparalleled benefits our Power Plate® and bioDensity® branded products offer.

As an authentic health and wellbeing brand, backed by an ever-expanding body of high-quality, independent, published research from around the globe, Power Plate supports medical, therapy, biohack and workplace wellbeing businesses, in addition to its already well-known uses in sport, health, fitness and boutique sectors. .

Market conditions in the EMEA and UK have seen extraordinary challenges over the past five years, and Steve will now lead our efforts to grow sales throughout the region”.

Steve says “I am excited to streamline our Power Plate business and foster the expansion of bioDensity across EMEA and the UK. As a company, it is vital that we have the infrastructure in place to support both internal and external stakeholders as we continue to scale. As a global team we have identified our key opportunities for growth, and with the right people in place we are able to explore new and emerging markets, whilst continuing to support and nurture our existing customers, dealers and distributors.” 

Steve continues “A big part of our strategy for 2024 and beyond involves working with the right partners to activate and complement Power Plate and bioDensity in a variety of sectors. Much of our focus will be on positioning our products as branded, comprehensive wellness solutions across multiple sectors within EMEA and the UK, in order to raise awareness of the extraordinary benefits Power Plate vibration training and bioDensity osteogenic loading can bring, improving peoples’ lives whilst continuing to generate revenue and growth for PHS.” 

With the global wellness market expected to reach $8.5T by 2027 (GWI) consumers are searching for solutions that serve their health, fitness and wellness goals with science-backed evidence and proven benefits for both mind and body. Power Plate and bioDensity products fit perfectly within this category.

For more information on Performance Health Systems’ brands – Power Plate and bioDensity - visit www.powerplate.co.uk and www.biodensity.com

Leap Fit Studio in Dalston, London, UK, has partnered with Power Plate® to create the world’s first REV™ studio, delivering unique vibration-enhanced Revolution group cycling classes.

Owned by three-time British long jump champion JJ Jegede, Leap Fit positions itself as ‘The home of progress’ – a commercial performance studio that attracts elite athletes and members of the public alike, with a strong focus on results via tailored workouts, nutritional advice and personalised support.

The studio’s latest performance-centric innovation launched this month: a Power Plate REV studio that’s now delivering “a seriously enjoyable group cycling class with added revs, literally”.

The new class space features 13 Power Plate REVs – a unique bike launched recently, where patented VibeShift™ Technology delivers consistent, safe, precise, predictable vibration through the pedals to maximise workout intensity.

When compared to a traditional fitness bike, the REV increases calf activation by 43 per cent, hamstring activation by 144 per cent, quad activation by 167 per cent and glute activation by 138 per cent. Research by the Centre for Sports Science & Human Performance at the University of Greenwich, UK, also found that level 1 resistance with vibration on the REV is equivalent to level 5 resistance without vibration.

“The Power Plate REV is a wonderfully flexible product. It’s sold primarily as a performance bike for the gym floor, but the ability to switch in and out of vibration mode also makes it a great choice for a group cycle class with a difference,” said Iain Murray, Power Plate VP UK & Ireland.

“It’s the perfect fit for a studio such as JJ’s, where elite level expertise underpins the commercial delivery of performance training; it’s really exciting to be involved in a project where these two worlds overlap.

“We’re absolutely delighted to partner with Leap Fit Studio in the creation of this world-first group cycle concept.”

Jegede added: “I’ve used Power Plate products for years now and was invited to take part in filming for the launch of REV. The moment I got on the bike, I knew it was going to be a game changer. I never planned to have a cycle area at my gym, but this machine made me re-evaluate. I didn’t just want a couple of REVs on the gym floor. I wanted a whole studio.

“I’m thrilled to bring this brand new concept to our members – a proven way to maximise muscle tone and performance gains from indoor cycling, all wrapped up in an engaging class format – and incredibly proud to be the first in the world to do this.”

The Power Plate REV is available online now in the UK at powerplate.co.uk